5A: (7) Arapahoe 40, (9) Chatfield 28

LITTLETON — All Thomas Trotman wanted to do was catch the ball ... and he did, both times.

Just as he did twice earlier in the season in a surge against Mullen that led to a key road victory, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound senior turned in two big plays, both of them late.

Trotman smartly ran up to field a short punt he returned 25 yards with less than three minutes to play to set up what proved to be the winning touchdown, then intercepted a pass and returned it for an insurance score as Arapahoe outlasted Chatfield 40-28 on Friday night in The Denver Post game of the week.

At a well-attended Littleton Public Schools Stadium despite freezing temperatures, Arapahoe, ranked No. 7 in The Denver Post Class 5A coaches/media poll, won the Super 6 League title, its first league championship since 2004. The Warriors are 8-1 overall and 4-1 in the Super 6. No. 9 Chatfield dipped to 6-3, 3-1, and both will be in the 32-team postseason field to be announced Sunday. Trotman, speedy and athletic, found himself in position twice and delivered.

"I'm just glad that I was able to catch the ball," he said. "I just came up to catch the punt, then on the interception, I just read it. It's a great feeling, The Super 6 is a tough league."

Warriors coach Mike Campbell said his bunch "has had resolve all year. You watch our fellas run out there. We're not the biggest show in town and I don't think we have a defensive lineman over 220 and don't have an O-lineman, or maybe one, over 225."

But this one included rock-'em, sock-'em play and plenty of offense. The two teams combined for 954 yards of offense, 460 by Arapahoe.

Arapahoe receiver Michael Babb beats Chatfield defensive back Race Fenimore for a 53-yard touchdown reception in the second half of the Warriors' 40-28 victory Friday night. More photos. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

Back and forth it went and the first five touchdowns were 50 or more yards. It was tied at 14 after a quarter and at 21 at halftime. It appeared the Chargers were going to take command late, especially after Brendan Murphy scored from the 3-yard line for a 28-27 lead with 6:32 to pay.

However, Trotman did his thing and the Warriors were able to bang with the larger Chargers, who came up short.

"It's a bummer," Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin said. "We played for 45 minutes and needed to play for 48."

Check out some of the numbers:

For Arapahoe, Jose Cancanon rushed for 125 yards. Quarterback Taven Sparks was 14-of-22 for 273 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Tight end Ethan Brunhofer, a junior, had five receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw a pass while in motion out of the backfield for a touchdown to Michael Babb. It covered 53 yards. And Babb had four catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

For Chatfield, Murphy was the workhorse. The junior rushed 27 times for 232 yards and two touchdowns. His first score covered 72 yards. Austin Steinhoff ran 11 times for 116 yards and he scored on the first play of the game from 73 yards, right up the middle, to set the tone.

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